The PADD Flashed Red
by Belen09
Summary: Hoshi is reading a story that Malcolm gave her to pass the time while waiting in Customs - but the PADD keeps flashing red . . . mild slash element . . . story based on news report from the past . . .


The PADD Flashed Red

Belen09

Hoshi Sato was trying to read Malcolm Reed's PADD, but it kept flashing red . . . part of a series based on news reports – 'airline passenger, bullet-proof vest, flame-retardant pants . . .'

The customs queue for entry into the Talien home world was long, too long in Ensign Hoshi Sato's opinion. She had sat for over an hour reviewing the data that she had been able to glean from the Universal Translator and the cultural information that the space authority had kindly sent to the Enterprise so that their visit would be both comfortable and productive. Like every other bureaucracy though, the left hand didn't know what the right hand was doing, and the actual entry to the planet was fraught with 'paperwork' and boredom – so she had borrowed a PADD from Lieutenant Reed, which had stored on it an old novel about a young Anglo-Saxon warrior named Stephen . . .

Malcolm had handed her the PADD with a smile and mentioned that the 'Stephen' novel on the device was well worth reading – a pleasant fantasy about a young man mentally travelling between the ninth and twentieth centuries. She began to read, and was happy to reaffirm that her English friend's taste in literature was good. Soon Ensign Sato's mind was occupied by the romantic adventure. . .

Hoshi had also 'noticed' that the lieutenant had focused on speaking with the only other member of their 'little away party' – Commander Trip Tucker – and that he was making those little touching gestures that meant that he really wished that the two of them were already in their hotel room. Sato smiled – although Malcolm Reed liked to present himself as a no-nonsense security professional, in reality he was a very caring individual . . .

Hoshi had gotten 'deep into the story', so clearly defining a culture light-years away in time and space – when something untoward and jarring happened – the PADD screen flashed red – disturbing her concentration. She attempted to ignore the disruption at first, thinking that perhaps it was a momentary distraction, a glitch in Malcolm's PADD. After all she was sure that his equipment was on the receiving end of some very rough treatment more than once. But it kept happening . . .

Hoshi tried to be patient, but finally she decided to go over to where Malcolm and Trip were sitting, and having a quiet conversation. Trip was rubbing his hand over Malcolm's kneecap, and only noticed her arrival after she was standing directly in front of the two men. She knew that the lieutenant on the other hand had immediately been aware of her approach from the spot where she had been reading – he gave her a quick look – 'What is happening?' might have been the context of his expression.

Ensign Sato began speaking. "I hate to bother you . . . but your PADD is flashing red." She expected him to sigh at the very obvious problem with his equipment, and maybe say something about faulty devices. Instead Reed grabbed it from her hand and switched the app from to another apparently scanning function.

He swept the room, and finally aimed it in a corner where a solitary being sat in a long coat apparently expecting inclement weather . . . the security chief of the Enterprise frowned. "Lord love a duck!" was the utterance that escaped his lips – the mildest thing he could say under the circumstances.

Reed made sure that his UT was functioning properly, and separating himself from both Ensign Sato and Commander Tucker, walked over to the customs official and took one of them aside. Hoshi would have walked over to find out what the problem was, however Trip took her arm and said very softly, "That PADD app scans for weapons . . . Malcolm showed me one time. Keep alert!"

The Talien customs official listened to Lieutenant Reed's explanation and walked over to a communication panel, speaking quickly – within a couple of minutes two uniformed security personnel showed up, and listened to both the customs official and Malcolm, who showed them in turn the results of his PADD. All four of the beings now standing by 'the front desk' now looked directly at the being in the corner. One of the uniformed Taliens now made a gesture for the customs agent to ask the solitary being to come to 'the front desk' for his interview.

The customs agent opened a door to a glassed-in room, and another customs agent carefully watched by one of the uniformed aliens escorted the solitary one into that room, so that in there were a customs official, a uniformed guard, and the unusual traveler . . . the other customs official, a unformed guard, and Malcolm stood where they could look in the room through the windows.

It was not possible to hear the conversation in the room, however the actions of the people inside could be observed, and Malcolm being close saw that they asked the traveler to remove his coat – under the coat was what looked to be some kind of body armor. Not exactly what one expects to find on a common traveler . . . and in the coat – and on the traveler . . . a number of knives, an explosive device, a baton, respirator, various restraint devices, and a few other hardware items not readily obvious to the naked eye.

Some types of physical reaction are common to all 'humanoid' creatures; all three of the officials were clearly skeptical of the traveler, and removing a restraint device of his own, the uniformed guard secured the being and pushed it down in a chair located in the room. This alien wasn't going anywhere soon.

The Talien guard standing next to Malcolm looked at the Enterprise officer, and reached out gently bumping his arm. At this point Hoshi approached the two and said to the lieutenant, "Sir, according to the database he is giving you an assurance of 'well done'. It would be proper for you to 'bump' him back." And that's what Malcolm Reed, most cautious soul, did – in addition to giving one of his best smiles. The away mission continued . . . and was successful . . . And Hoshi finally read the rest of the novel back on the Enterprise.


End file.
